The present invention relates to improvements applied to sports equipment which can be worn on the feet, in particular to winter sports equipment such as skis, snow shoes, studs etc., comprising an electrical or electronic device which has to be connected to a source of current (or disconnected therefrom) when the equipment is removed from the foot and disconnected (or connected) when the equipment is placed on the foot.
In fact, it may be necessary that certain electrical or electronic devices mounted on sports equipment worn on the feet are disconnected from a source of current when in practical use, for example during skiing and on the contrary connected to the source of current when these articles are not used (for example not during skiing). This may be the case for electronic devices in particular, comprising an emitter which makes it possible to find the articles in question when they are buried under the snow and possibly to find their user, in particular at the time of avalanches, or even electronic anti-theft devices actuated solely when the skier is no longer using his skis.
On the contrary, other electrical or electronic devices have to be connected to a source of current when the sports equipment is placed on the feet. This is particularly necessary in the case of electrical or electronic circuits controlling the release of a safety binding for skis. Generally, these circuits comprise detection, measuring, calculation, comparison and release members. These circuits require an electrical supply and the closure of the circuit generally takes place by a switch which the skier actuates manually. However, the skier may forget to close the electrical circuit and he will nevertheless be able to ski. This is a very considerable drawback, since he will thus be skiing without any safeguard if the bindings lock even in the absence of electrical current. If they do not lock, there is then a danger of the skier falling due to inopportune "opening" at the time of his first maneuvre.
The skier may also think to close the circuit for skiing but forget to open the latter when he removes his skis: in this case, the supply will therefore continue to take place and the batteries will quickly run down.